Swanwick Writers' Summer School
8-14 August 2020
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Home > Programme > Speakers

Speakers

Seen by many as the highlight of the Swanwick week, our after-dinner speakers are always eagerly anticipated.  There is a different speaker each evening in the Main Conference Hall, followed by book sales and signings where appropriate. Previous years' speakers have included:
  • Iain Banks
  • Ben Crystal
  • P D James
  • James Runcie



  • Peter James
  • Curtis Jobling
  • Helen Lederer
  • Mario Reading


  • Deborah Moggach
  • Bel Mooney
  • Della Galton
  • James Moran
  • Gervase Phinn
  • Terry Pratchett
  • Michael Jecks
  • Ruth Rendell
  • David Nobbs
  • Simon Brett
  • Brendan Nolan

Speakers 2017

Saturday



​Our opening speaker for Swanwick 2017 is Stephen Booth. Stephen is an award winning UK crime writer, the creator of two young Derbyshire police detectives, Ben Cooper and Diane Fry, who have appeared in fifteen (very soon to be sixteen when Secrets of Death comes out in May!) novels set in the Peak District. His first Cooper and Fry novel, Black Dog, was the named by the London Evening Standard as one of the six best crime novels of the year - the only book on their list written by a British author. You can find out more about Stephen at  Stephen-Booth.com
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Sunday

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Our Sunday evening speaker, Sophie Hannah, is an internationally bestselling writer of psychological crime fiction published in 32 languages and 51 territories. In 2014, with the blessing of Agatha Christie’s family and estate, Sophie published a new Hercule Poirot novel, The Monogram Murders, which was a bestseller in more than 15 countries. In September 2016, her second Poirot novel, Closed Casket, was published and became an instant Sunday Times top ten bestseller. Sophie has also published two short story collections and five collections of poetry, the fifth of which was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Award.
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Learn more about Sophie at sophiehannah.com

Monday


​Cathy Cassidy
is one of the UK's top-selling children's authors. She was an art teacher, a magazine editor and an agony aunt before becoming a full-time writer. She has worked at Shout magazine and previously at Jackie. Cathy tours extensively around the UK - meeting over 10,000 young readers in 2012. She has twice won the prestigious 'Queen of Teen' award. Cathy lives in Merseyside with her husband, two dogs and a cat.
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www.cathycassidy.com
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Tuesday

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In Conversation With …
 
Tonight we hear from not just one writer but four as Swanwick proudly presents its very own chat show. Your host for this evening is Simon Hall, crime writer and BBC reporter extraordinaire. Simon will be in conversation with authors Sue Moorcroft, Jon Mayhew and Steve Hartley, extracting anecdotes, information and inspiration for our edification and entertainment. Not to be missed!
 
See the Specialist and Short Course pages for more information on Simon and his guests.

Wednesday


​Imogen Cooper
was previously Editorial Director for Chicken House Publishing. She remains Senior Editor for Chicken House, but has taken a step back from her managerial role to develop the Golden Egg Academy and concentrate on the thing she loves best: supporting talented writers.
At Chicken House she helped many debut authors achieve their potential. In 2010 she received the only award for editors in this country, the Branford Boase Award.

www.goldeneggacademy.co.uk/the-team/imogen-cooper
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Specialist course
Specialist courses
Short course
Short courses
Writers
One-hour sessions
Evening entertainment
Extras

"I got something from every talk and lecture I went to." Derek Corbett
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Swanwick Writers' Summer School
Registered Charity No. 1168531 
Address:
The Hayes Conference Centre
Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 1AU
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